Doors are unlocked, treasures spill out of paintings and an exhibition takes to the streets in this month’s must-sees. Be sure to get out yourself with the help of our full exhibition listings, or take a look at our shortlist below – most are free or 50% off with a National Art Pass.

When Frida Kahlo died in 1954, her husband, the artist Diego Rivera, shut up the house with all her possessions inside – and it remained that way for 50 years. This is the first time that many of her fascinating personal effects, discovered when the doors were opened in 2004, have been exhibited outside of Mexico. Kahlo’s letters, clothing, photographs, accessories and other belongings offer a unique insight into the life of an iconic figure and are displayed alongside self-portraits of the artist dressed in some of the distinctive Tehuana outfits.

How do we see other animals and how do they see us? Amid warnings from scientists that humans may be causing the sixth mass extinction on earth, this exhibition explores the relationship between ourselves and other living beings through the work of over 40 modern and contemporary artists and historical artefacts. A wide range of media is on display including sculpture, video, painting and installation, and don’t miss Paula, the life-sized polar bear puppet roaming the streets of Margate thanks to your support through an Art Happens crowdfunding campaign.

The Paston family’s collection of art and treasures, amassed in the 17th century, was one of the richest ever to exist in the UK. Its wealth was celebrated in The Paston Treasure (c1663), a lavish and enigmatic painting by an unknown Dutch artist. For the first time in three centuries, the painting – in a re-gilded frame thanks to an Art Happens crowdfunding campaign – is reunited with several of the original objects it depicts, along with items replicating others. This exhibition is the culmination of five years of research across many disciplines to understand and interpret the painting, which survives as a microcosm of the then-known world.

Enjoy the atmosphere of Newstead Abbey while exploring the works of Paul Sandby, a significant figure in English watercolour painting and a founding member of the Royal Academy. Sandby helped popularise landscape painting at a time when the moneyed classes were increasingly seeking out picturesque views as part of their leisure time. Ancient monuments and ruins in a landscape were in great demand, but Sandby also painted parks and commercial gardens, and his work captures the transformation of Georgian England in a time of agricultural and industrial change.

The Scottish Maritime Museum unveils a brand new national art collection celebrating the Scottish coastline and the people who lived and worked along it, both at sea and on the shore. Works from 1830 to the early 21st century – including paintings, photography, sculpture and mixed media – capture the whole gamut of life by the water, from scenes of heavy oil and shipbuilding industries to tourism posters and beautiful seascapes.